John B. Goering’s journal – Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Some taughts of my Child hood days

Some things come to me of my childhood days. When we moved from the place where Brother Ben lived to the place where we lived, I think I was about 4 years old. We had some household goods on a haterbarg. Some may not know what this is a hayrack maid like this — a lowside and highside on grain wagon wheels. I had a pet cat in a cobord. It shock the rods where so ruf and the door flew open and my cat ran away that was afraid (the cat never came back), I cried. But formoting so much of that, how we got settled. I don’t remember about play things. It was different than now. I and sister Emilie played mostley farming. That was all we knew. We had corn or beans different colors — white, red, brown, or blue — and that where our chickens, cows, pigs and sofort, and had a lot of fun (Ha). Later, I used to take the ground uger make a hole, pured wather in it and that was a well, and what a time I had to figer out to make a bocket that would fill up to bring the water up, but I got it done. Brother Ben was 6 years older and he allways laught when he wached us play (Ha).

One day Muhkans Mother went to Moundridge just before harvest with the spring wagon — had eggs, chicken, cream and butter to sell. Dad give her a list to bring for harvest. When we where on the way home, Mom cried. I asked why she was crying and she said, “I promised the girls that I will by some calico yard goods (about$.04 a yard), but dident have money left.” — and I cryed with her.

O yes, about the duck and the bulsnake. I had a duck (allways call them mine because I took care of them) bruding on a nast of eges by the garden fance. The fance wire was with littel round holes. I seen the duck of her nest flopind her wings. There it was the snake swoled an ege then tried to get away and culdent so she swoled another ege so she was realey traped. I killed the snak, got a knife, cut her open, put the eges back in the nest and they all hached. Another time, I took care of littel geas and the got in the garden. I looked for them and foand them all lying dead (that what I thought), rane to Mam and told her what had happend. She told me to put them in a shdy place, they are just sleeping. They ate of the poppey plants they will be O.K. and sure enough that what it was. Later one I thougt that what we should give the ducks and Geass when we puld their fetters to use for federbads and pillos., first put them asleep.

O yes, about the time we had the measels. Even Mam went down with them, and their is where Alvins Hart trubel begon.

The time when Brother Ben got married.  That was May 3, 1906.

They allways went to McPherson 2 times a year to pay taxes and that took a day as a rule some of the sisters went along; so in the evening we where waiting for them because they allways brought something for us and you know what it was? A hamburger bun, just the bun. I just wonder what you Grandand G Grandchildren would think — you would be looking for what I dont know?

When I got older playtime was kind forgoten, but not all, there was some work to be done, and so especley, I am thinking, of cutting s0nflowers in the corn feald. Dad and most time all went but Mam, I am begining to write Dad and Mam, instead of Father and Mother. Mam maid dinner. After dinner we all rested. Dad allways laid down on the floor and sleped, and we allways injoyed working together.

When I was 11 years old, my Mam’s Sister died when her Baby was born. We allways called him Uncle Red Jacop Krehbiel. So Mam took the Baby and we had him till he was close to two years old. I allways had to take care of a cow that used the milk for to feed littel Jack, had to herd her on the same grass and feed the same feed to that cow all the time. One thing that was exciting was when his Dad came and took him when he was over a yer old, with a cart one horse and drove around the section. He would cry and fight, but by the time they got back he was (O.K.). The Uncle got married again. They came to take him home. It looked like he knew it and got under Mam’s apron to hide out. Sister Millie went with them for sometime — till he got aquanted with the new home.

Chapter 2